Blind Services

Blind Services is a section of Louisiana Rehabilitation Servicesí Vocational Rehabilitation Program that provides services to eligible individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The Randolph-Sheppard Business Enterprise Program and the Older Blind/Visually Impaired Program are parts of Blind Services.

The Older Blind/Visually Impaired Program expands independent living services for people who are age 55 or older and have a severe visual impairment. Through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education Older Blind Program, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services provides funding to three contractors: Affiliated Blind of Louisiana, Lighthouse for the Blind in New Orleans and LA Center for the Blind, to coordinate statewide services.

The Randolph-Sheppard Business Enterprise Program provides entrepreneurial opportunities for consumers of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program who are legally blind to manage their own businesses. This includes a wide variety of food-service operations, including cafeterias, coffee shops, vending locations, and highway rest area vending sites. Through this program, blind persons receive training opportunities to become productive, tax-paying citizens and proud business owners.

How do I qualify for services?

To be eligible for the Older Blind/Visually Impaired Program you must be age 55 or older and have a severe visual disability or be legally blind.

To be eligible for the Randolph-Sheppard Business Enterprise Program an individual with a significant visual disability must be able to benefit from vocational rehabilitation services in terms of achieving employment. Therefore, applications for services are accepted at the time an individual with a disability reaches or nears the minimum age of legal employability.

To be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, the individual must:

have a physical or mental disability which for the individual constitutes or results in a substantial impediment to employment; and

be able to benefit from vocational rehabilitation services in terms of employment; and

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Contact us at: (225) 342-3111 | TDD (800) 259-5154 | SITE COMMENTS
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program | Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
This page was last updated on March 30, 2015.